As Ward 1 in the City of Washington is holding a special election to fill the city council vacancy, KCII is giving you a closer look at the candidates running for the term ending in 2023.

Bethany Vittetoe Glinsmann is a Washington native and one of four generations of family who live in Washington. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in economics and has worked for over a decade as a clean energy data analyst. After high school Glinsmann and her husband moved away from Washington, and returned in 2018. Since then she has joined the board of directors for Latinos for Washington, Inc. and is a cofounder and associate director of the Washington for Justice organization. Glinsmann shares why she is running for city council, “I grew up in Washington. I left after high school, I didn’t see a future here for myself. I think many of our young folks feel similar to that. So I would love to see Washington [as] a place where everyone sees a future for themselves. I’d like Washington to be a place where young families want to stay, where young families consider moving here. And to do that I think we need to make it a place where everyone feels welcome and everyone feels like their voices are heard.”

If elected, Glinsmann’s top priorities are to listen to and value the input of Ward 1 residents and all Washingtonians, and shape the vision for the future of the community with a focus on continued rejuvenation of the town. More specifically, she is interested in increasing child care facilities, eliminating food insecurity, supporting local businesses that improve the quality of life for residents, and removing language barriers and other impediments that make it difficult for residents to participate in the community, among other ideas. Glinsmann is running against Deran DeLong in the election happening Tuesday, April 5th with polls open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Washington YMCA on West 5th Street. Ward 1 residents can also vote early via absentee ballot at the Washington County Auditor’s Office at the courthouse during their business hours until 5 p.m. April 4th. You can hear more from Glinsmann during Monday’s Halcyon House Washington Page, and find more information on voting here.